The Follow Files: Ex-Victorian mare takes out Sunshine Coast Cup
This Saturday we had feature racedays at all five of the main tracks across the country with Group racing at Moonee Valley and Rosehill Gardens, and Listed races at Morphettville, Sunshine Coast and Ascot. Over the next few weeks we will see a lot of the good horses return as the races begin to heat up in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
Today we will be talking about three horses that have bigger fish to fry in the coming weeks, after impressive runs on Saturday at Morphettville and Sunshine Coast.
Morphettville – Durbridge Stakes Day
Track rating: Good 4
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 8: Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m) | Time: 1:04.18
- Horse to follow: See You In Heaven (2nd)
Richard & Chantelle Jolly had their star three-year-old filly See You In Heaven return to the races in the Listed Durbridge Stakes at Morphettville over 1100m on Saturday, where she finished second behind Shamino. In her return run, this daughter of Divine Prophet was backed into favouritism at $3 with online bookmakers and as the field rounded the home turn, favourite backers would have been very confident when she peeled off the leaders heels and took a comfortable lead. However, Shamino came down the outside with one big burst of acceleration to out sprint the filly.
When to bet: The Jolly stable have confirmed that See You In Heaven is on an Australian Guineas path and considering the Guineas is just over a month away at Flemington, we should see her run again over 1300m or 1400m. This filly is currently $15 in the Australian Guineas futures market and sits behind some very good horses, so she may not be a bet in the Guineas if some of the stars go there, but next start over 1400m will be perfect.
Sunshine Coast – Sunshine Coast Cup Day
Track rating: Good 4
Rail position: True entire circuit
Race 6: Open Handicap (1000m) | Time: 0:57.12
- Horse to follow: Simply Fly (1st)
The odds-on race favourite, The Bopper, being scratched before the Open Handicap over 1000m may have overshadowed the win of Simply Fly. However, this five-year-old gelding was very impressive. This son of Spirit Of Boom had been racing in Listed and Quality grade races, including the $750,000 King Of The Mountain at his past three starts, albeit running sixth, 11th and eighth in those runs. Dropping back to Open Handicap grade at the Sunshine Coast track, where his record is four wins from five starts, he relished the solid tempo set by the leaders and he ran home with that booming finish that he possesses to win by a long neck on the line.
When to bet: Rex Lipp & Nicholas Hahn may have found the right level of racing for this gelding, so we don’t expect to see him racing in Listed company in the near future. If they stick to Open Handicaps between 1000m and 1200m, there is no doubt that Simply Fly is worth following when he goes to a big track with a longer straight like Eagle Farm or the Sunshine Coast.
Race 8: Listed Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m) | Time: 1:23.01
- Horse to follow: Chaillot (1st)
Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted couldn’t have dreamed for a better start for Chaillot after the six-year-old mare was transferred from the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr yard to one of the top training partnership yards in Queensland. Chaillot returned from a 10-week spell on Saturday in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup where she started as the $4.20 favourite with online betting sites as the class horse in the field and she won like so. The daughter of Testa Rossa further bettered her first-up record by winning another fresh start, taking her record to five wins from seven starts. This mare was back at her brilliant best, giving the leaders a start and a beating over her best distance of 1400m.
When to bet: Matthew Hoysted spoke post-race on Saturday and said that they are well aware that this mare likes her runs spaced, so she is likely to go out for a spell now. However, with the Brisbane Winter Carnival only three or four months away, Hoysted said the Tattersall’s Tiara on June 24 at Eagle Farm over 1400m could be the event they target in the carnival with this very talented mare.